


Playing Play Pretend

by Shklance_Beef_Sandwich



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bottom Shiro (Voltron), College AU, Drunk Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Gay Disaster Shiro (Voltron), Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Blow Jobs, M/M, Mutual Pining, Sheithlentines 2019, oblivious idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 14:50:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17810018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shklance_Beef_Sandwich/pseuds/Shklance_Beef_Sandwich
Summary: “Who are you gonna ask to be your boyfriend for this shindig?” He asks, easy smile gradually fading the longer Keith stares at him without a word. “Keith…?”There’s another long beat, before Keith leans forward, forearms braced on the table, hands splayed. “Hear me out,”“Keith,” Shiro tries, but Keith holds up a hand.“Hear me out,” He says again, and Shiro exhales heavily, waving in a vague gesture for Keith to continue.





	Playing Play Pretend

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lijau](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lijau/gifts).



> Happy Belated Valentines Day to Juls! Aka, my giftee for the Sheithlentines Exchange.
> 
> You gave me a lot of really awesome prompts, but "Best friends Shiro and Keith gay panicking over each other" and "Classic AUs: College, FAKE DATING/MARRIAGE" stood out the most for me.
> 
> I apologise for the unexpected anonymous ask you received a while back asking who you preferred to top or bottom between these two, I didn't know how else to ask hahaha
> 
> Anyway, I hope you like this over 11k fanfic I've dedicated the last month writing for you. The flow is a bit all over the place, but I hope you like the parts that do seem put together well enough.
> 
> This has been read through at least a thousand times, in different fonts and sizes, but I'm half blind and have most likely missed something, so apologies.
> 
> Enjoy my gibberish!

Shiro doesn’t want to forget this; doesn’t want to forget the hands gripping his hips or the panted breaths against his ear.

This isn’t like any other hookup Shiro may have had in the past, this is years of love and yearning and desire coming to the surface, given that necessary push with the help of liquid courage.

It’s why everything is hazy right now, why the edges of Shiro’s vision are blurred and why whatever’s being murmured to him seems so far away, but despite that, it’s the best night he’s had in a long time.

How did he get here, on the second floor of a lake house in the dead of winter, a half empty bottle of something labelled “Nunvil” but more equivalent to that of moonshine sitting, uncapped, on one of the side tables, sitting astride the man he’s been pining for for almost as long as he can remember, riding his cock into the next century?

The simple answer would be: Vacation.

The longer and more complex answer…?

"I'm gonna meet my mum for the first time during winter break." Keith had told him one night during a particularly gruelling study session, stirring at the contents of his glass with his straw, lips pressing into a thin line. “I told her I have a boyfriend…”

“Why’d you do that?” Shiro asks, putting his textbook aside in order to stab a fork into a plateful of chilli cheese fries, shoving some none too graciously into his mouth.

Keith winces, fingertips tapping against the linoleum tabletop in a gesture Shiro recognises as nerves, especially as it’s paired with an averted gaze. Shiro’s patient with him, has learnt over the years he’s known Keith to wait for him to properly formulate what it is he needs to say, less he feels pressured to blurt out whatever comes to mind and say what he potentially doesn’t entirely mean.

"She was…going on about all the stuff that she’s missed in my life, and I guess at the time I wanted to make her mad?” Keith buys himself a minute, taking a sip of his soda, pulling back and clearing his throat. “Surprised, maybe, the fact that I’m into guys.” Keith rolls his eyes, seemingly at himself, staring down at the table. “I don’t know…I had just said it, but then she seemed…really happy, that I’d told her, and said I could bring him along when I go stay.”

He looks up at Shiro, then, cheek pulled inwards in a way that would suggest he’s chewing at it, another nervous tick. “Is that stupid?” He asks, and Shiro shakes his head, humming around his mouthful before swallowing.

“It’s not stupid, Keith.” He says, earnest, smiling as Keith visibly relaxes, slumping back against his chair. “So,” He continues, and Keith eyes him warily. “Who are you gonna ask to be your boyfriend for this shindig?” He asks, easy smile gradually fading the longer Keith stares at him without a word. “Keith…?”

There’s another long beat, before Keith leans forward, forearms braced on the table, hands splayed. “Hear me out,”

“Keith,” Shiro tries, but Keith holds up a hand.

“Hear me out,” He says again, and Shiro exhales heavily, waving in a vague gesture for Keith to continue.

“It’s one week, it’s free food and accomodation. It’ll be just like a normal vacation, the only difference being my mum will be staying nearby and we will have to hold hands a couple times.” Keith pauses, basking Shiro’s reaction. “Krolia knows I’m not one for affection, so we don’t have to be all lovey-dovey.” He continues, slowly, as if speaking at a faster pace will spook Shiro. “I don’t…” Keith exhales shakily, eyes downcast. “I don’t like asking you for much, Shiro…I wouldn’t ask you to do something like this if I didn’t need it, it’s just…” He manages to look up, meeting Shiro’s gaze. “The last time I saw her, I was a baby. I barely remember her. But I found her, I did it, and now I get to see her.” Keith smiles, something so faint that you wouldn’t be able to tell with just a glance, but Shiro can tell, he can tell it’s a genuine smile, something intimate that not many get to witness. It fades after a second, as if it had never happened, and Keith folds his arms across his chest, as if realising how vulnerable he was in that moment, in this moment. “I need you with me, Shiro, I…don’t think I could do it without you, please.”

As if Shiro could ever say no to Keith.

“Of course I’ll go with you, Keith.” Shiro says, voice low, and Keith lets out a shaky, relieved breath, nodding, his lip twitching upward slightly.

“Thank you. I owe you one.”

Shiro shakes his head, then, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. “You owe me nothing.”

Later, when Shiro’s lying on the couch, staring up at the ceiling, Keith asleep on the armchair nearby, an open textbook on his stomach, he can’t help but wonder what he’s gotten himself into.

It’s not that he doesn’t want to help Keith out, and it’s not like he despises the idea of being Keith’s boyfriend for the week, it’s just that he hates that it’s only a week, and the fact that it’s play pretend.

Shiro and Keith have been friends for as long as he can remember. Have been in the same classes at the same schools, and now live in a small on campus apartment together at Garrison University, more commonly known as Space Nerd School.

So Shiro and Keith are close, have been for years. They’ve seen each other at their highest, and their lowest. Shiro was right beside Keith at his dad’s funeral, was there when Keith, determined not to cry in front of everyone, had told him he wanted to find his mum.

Keith was the first person Shiro came out to, and in turn, Shiro was the first person Keith came out to.

Over these several years, over the course of Shiro and Keith growing closer to one another, Shiro’s feelings had shifted, a gradual change, something barely noticed, that is, until Shiro realised he had fallen for his best friend.

So now here he is, packing his bags for a week long vacation of pretending to be in love with Keith, when in reality, he already is.

“I thought we could take shifts. Three hours, break, swap. What do you think?” Keith calls out from somewhere by the living room, the telltale sound of wheels on linoleum echoing through the apartment as Keith puts his suitcase by the door. “Krolia told me about these cool diners we’ll pass along the way. They’re themed by the decade, starting at the fifties.”

Keith suddenly appears in Shiro’s doorway, leaning against the frame and crossing his arms.

“Sounds good.” Shiro belatedly replies, folding a shirt to put in his bag. “How cold is it gonna be?”

“I mean, we’re staying in the lake house, but there’s a wood burning fireplace, and decent heating. We’ll be fine.” Keith waves a dismissive hand, eyeing the piles of clothes on Shiro’s bed. “It’s only a week, Shiro.”

“I just want to be prepared.” Shiro says, a little too quickly, a little bit frazzled, and Keith bites his lip, stepping into the room.

“Shiro, it’s okay…you’re more stressed about this trip than I am. I’m meeting my mum for the _first time_ since I was a baby _,_ and you’re more nervous than me.”

“I’m not-“ Shiro huffs, dropping his head, scrunching up the hoodie in his hands a bit. “I’m not _nervous_ -“

“But you’re stressed.” Keith interrupts, and Shiro looks up at him. “You’re still thinking about the whole being my boyfriend thing, aren’t you?” At Shiro’s tentative nod, Keith exhales heavily through his nose, pursing his lips. “You don’t have to come, Shiro. Or you can come, and I’ll just tell her I broke up with my boyfriend, decided to bring you along, instead. I didn’t give her a name.”

Keith touches Shiro’s shoulder, a gesture that’s meant to be reassuring, but there’s an odd tension between them, Keith’s eyes looking sad but his mouth pulled up into an uneasy sort of smile, the boy has never been one for blatantly expressing his emotions, so Shiro appreciates the effort.

“It’s not so much…being your boyfriend that’s stressing me, it’s more so…what if she doesn’t like me? Pulls me aside and tells me I’m not good enough for you? That she disapproves of us being together?” Saying it out loud, Shiro knows it sounds ridiculous, but it’s been plaguing his mind for days leading up to this trip, and it’s something he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about.

“I doubt she’d think any of that, Shiro…” Keith starts, head tilting slightly. “You’re really that concerned about her approval of you?” There’s a hint of a smile, there, something almost smug, and Shiro can’t understand why.

“She’d want someone worthy to take care of her son.” Shiro says, and Keith gives him a look, something Shiro can’t quite place, so he looks away, to his almost overflowing suitcase.

“I think you’re pretty worthy to take care of my sorry ass.” Keith says after a short while, hand squeezing at Shiro’s shoulder before he pulls it away, leaving him cold. “After all, you’ve been taking care of me most of my life.” He continues, and Shiro looks up at him just as Keith turns away, making his way out of Shiro’s room. “Don’t overthink packing. Just pack enough warm clothes for a week, plus maybe a couple days worth of extra, if you’re that worried.”

Keith’s voice gradually fades out as he walks further away, and Shiro hears Keith’s bedroom door shut, before he’s letting out the breath he didn’t realise he’d been holding.

It’s a fifteen hour drive consisting of gradually changing scenery from desert to bustling towns, to country roads and fields to forest trails.

They stop and rest at a motel after a long day of driving, lying on one of the two double beds in the room, chatting quietly, and Shiro watches Keith fall asleep beside him, listens to his breathing as it evens out, his face relaxing. Shiro hesitates only a moment before he’s lifting a careful hand toward Keith’s face and tucking some of his hair behind his ear, fingers brushing the side of his cheek.

Keith’s eyes shift beneath his eyelids, and Shiro quickly pulls his hand back, but other than that, Keith remains still.

It leaves Shiro to contemplate, for the hundredth time, just how this week is going to go. The reality of it all being that he has no idea.

He’s happy for Keith, happy he’s found his mum after years of searching, and is finally going to meet her, and Shiro is honoured to be by his side when he does. He smiles softly, but it falls after a second, Shiro’s eyes dropping to Keith’s mouth.

 _It’s just a week, Shiro._ He reminds himself, the voice in the back of his mind sounding suspiciously like Keith’s. Just a week of having to pretend he’s with his best friend and instead not hopelessly pining for him.

Just a week of holding hands and acting like a couple when in front of Krolia.

Just a week of Keith quickly pulling away once they’re behind closed doors with what will most likely be relief.

Just a week of Shiro wishing, more so than usual, he could have what he can’t.

Keith shifts in his sleep, closer to Shiro, fingers curling gently in the material of Shiro’s shirt. It makes him tense for a second, before he relaxes, gives in to the heaviness of his eyes, slings an arm over Keith’s waist before drifting off to sleep.

They arrive at Krolia’s early evening the next day, Keith slowing to a stop partway down the long, dirt driveway. He’s been white knuckling the steering wheel for a while now, growing more tense the closer they got to their destination.

“I don’t know if I can do this.” Keith says, voice rushed and eyes widening. “Meeting my mum after her not being there since I was a baby, am I _insane?_ ” Keith’s hands tightened even more on the wheel, and Shiro fears it’ll break under the pressure. “She’s probably just agreeing to this to make me happy- probably doesn’t even want to see me.” Keith goes on, blinking rapidly, before whipping his head toward Shiro, who jumps. “We should go home.”

“Keith, no. We’ve made it this far.” Shiro reaches over to touch Keith’s shoulder, squeezing in a way he hopes is comforting, turning in his seat to face Keith properly. “She loves you, despite her leaving…she’s so proud of you, and finding her after all this time is such a great accomplishment. She’s been looking for you, too, remember?”

Keith slumps, exhaling shakily. “She has been…”

“She has been,” Shiro repeats, “and she wants to see you, so _badly,_ Keith…” Shiro rubs down Keith’s arm, feeling the tension slowly easing off, watches Keith’s hands loosen their grip considerably. “I’m right here with you.”

“Thank you, Shiro…” Keith whispers, tilting his head back somewhat, taking a few deep breaths. “I don’t know what I’d do without you here.”

“You’d probably live at the end of the driveway for the week.” Shiro says, and it earns him a somewhat nervous breath of a laugh, Keith’s shoulder shaking beneath Shiro’s hand.

“Sounds about right…” He murmurs, looking straight ahead through the windscreen, the house partially visible from here, through the thick of trees and dirt trails.

“When you’re ready.” Shiro says, voice low, his hand still on Keith’s shoulder, feeling the rise and fall as Keith takes another deep breath, before he nods, a determined look in his eye.

His hand lowers to shift gears and the car starts its slow trek the rest of the way up the driveway, the tension noticeably ebbing away slowly the further he drives, the house coming into full view.

When Keith pulls the car up along the edge of the gravelled front yard and kills the ignition, he slumps back against the carseat with a long exhale, humming.

“We’re here.” Shiro murmurs, singsong, and Keith chuckles, tilting his head to glance out the window just as a large dog comes running out from around the side of the house and toward them, tongue out and paws bounding.

Shiro watches Keith grin as the dog jumps up against his side of the car, panting breaths fogging up the glass of the window. The dog looks to be a puppy, and Keith laughs, putting his hand against the window, watching the dog sniff where he’s placed it.

“He’s so cute,” Keith says, too entranced by the dog to notice the woman that stands next to the house, arms folded and small smile on her face.

“Kosmo!” She calls, and the dog looks toward her, barking once before turning its gaze back to Keith.

It’s enough to give Keith pause, hand slowly slipping off the glass when he notices her, and Shiro can hear him swallow thickly.

They both get out of the car, Keith struggling to do so more so than Shiro, what with a giant excitable puppy jumping up at him, and Keith laughs, a sudden, boisterous sound that Shiro grins in the face of, watching Keith patting the dog until he flops onto his back on the dirt, demanding belly rubs, of which Keith eagerly gives him.

“You’re a good boy, aren’t you?” Keith asks the canine, whose tongue is hanging out of his mouth as he pants, paws up and leg kicking in time with Keith’s enthusiastic pats. “Such a good boy!” He continues, and Shiro comes around to his side of the car, content to watch Keith and the puppy, glancing upward and watching as who Shiro guesses is Krolia slowly wanders toward them.

“He’s a rescue.” She says, and Keith looks up from Kosmo, hands pausing on his stomach, making the dog whine below him. “We think he’s part wolf.” She continues, and Keith stands, looking down at the now wriggling dog, dust flying up around him.

“He’s gorgeous.” Keith says, clearing his throat when his voice cracks slightly.

Krolia smiles, a little tense, hands twitching at her sides in a way Shiro can only assume is her resisting to reach for Keith, maybe pull him into a hug.

“You look well.” She says, and Keith glances up at her, nodding slowly.

“Thanks…Just passed my finals so I guess the weight of that stress is gone, now.” Krolia nods in turn, smiling a little easier.

“How much did you pass?” She asks, and before Keith can open his mouth to answer, something most likely along the lines of: _Not that much,_ Shiro answers for him, unthinking.

“Less than half a percent away from one hundred.” Shiro says, and Keith stares at him, almost as if he’d forgotten Shiro was there for a second, lips parted. “Top of his class.” Shiro continues, and Keith looks down toward the ground, and Shiro notices with a sort of smug satisfaction that his cheeks are pinker than before.

“Really? Keith, that’s amazing!” Krolia’s grinning, now, looking back up toward Shiro, her expression turning knowing. “You haven’t introduced me to your friend, Keith.” She continues, and Shiro can practically _hear_ Keith’s nervous swallow.

“This is Shiro,” Keith looks up as he says it, giving Shiro a look, and Shiro nods, a subtle gesture that Keith immediately understands, stepping toward him and letting Shiro take his hand in his, their fingers lacing loosely. “My boyfriend…”

“Takashi Shirogane, ma’am, but everyone calls me Shiro.” He says, smiling politely and holding out his right hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, thank you for letting me join Keith on this trip, your place is lovely.”

Shiro doesn’t notice the way Keith smiles at him, too busy marvelling at the strength behind Krolia’s handshake.

“Thank you, Shiro, the pleasure is all mine.” She says, inclining her head and letting go of Shiro’s hand in order to reach into her pocket and hold up a key. “If you two want, I can give you a tour of the lake house, but it’s pretty straight forward, so I just assumed you wouldn’t mind looking by yourselves.”

Keith takes the key from his mum, inspecting it with a terse nod. “We don’t mind figuring it out for ourselves.” He says, and Krolia smiles at them both, subtly eyeing their joined hands.

“Well, I’ll let you two settle in, then.” She says, taking a step back, whistling for Kosmo, who’d wandered off towards the trees, and he turns around, meandering back over to them. “Dinner’s at eight, if you’re interested, I’m going to be barbecuing.” She pauses, hands twitching at her sides again, before she nods, turning and signalling for Kosmo to follow, disappearing around the side of the house.

Shiro and Keith watch her go, and then Keith’s letting go of Shiro’s hand with a shaky exhale, turning towards the car to start getting their bags.

“Are you okay?” Shiro asks, tentative, ignoring the phantom sensation of Keith’s hand in his. 

“‘M fine.” Keith mumbles, pulling a bag from the backseat a little rougher than necessary, and Shiro has to hide his wince, walking over to help Keith with the luggage.

They make their way toward the lake house, which is visible from the front yard, over a small hill and down a winding dirt path leading toward the lakes shore.

The key sticks a little when Keith puts it in the lock, and opening the door takes a few more seconds than the man would seem to like, if the frustrated sound he makes is any indicator.

The house is spacious, old looking but no less beautiful, both Shiro and Keith walking around, looking through all the rooms and meeting upstairs at the master suite. Shiro noted with slight disdain that the second bedroom was being used for storage, Krolia most probably having assumed him and Keith would be sharing a bed, and therefore decided against letting them know.

“I’ll take the couch.” Keith says almost immediately upon entering the bedroom, noting the king sized bed in the centre of the room, making as if to turn around and walk back downstairs with his luggage, but Shiro stops him with a hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll take the couch. You deserve the bed, Keith, this trip is for you.” He says, but Keith’s already shaking his head before Shiro even finishes talking, looking downward.

“Exactly. This trip is for me, I dragged you along with me, so you should take the bed. Besides, it’s too cold downstairs.”

“It’s cold for you, too.” Shiro tries, feeling the way Keith shrugs beneath his hand.

“I’ll just light the fire for when I-”

“That’s dangerous.” Shiro interrupts, and Keith rolls his eyes, his head following the movement.

“Holy shit- fine, what do you suggest?” Keith asks, dropping his bag with a thud that seems to echo around them, and he stares hard at Shiro, a daring glare Shiro’s been given more than enough times over the years, used to his friend’s temper.

“We could always share.” Shiro slowly says, watching the way the gears turn in Keith’s head, his expression gradually relaxing, before it turns into something more confused.

“The bed?” He asks, and Shiro nods, resisting the urge to smirk.

“Yes, Keith.” He says, inclining his head toward said bed. “It’s big, and it looks comfy. We shared a bed last night, what’s different about this?”

“At the motel, we were both so tired that we fell asleep before one of us could move to the other bed.” Keith says, and Shiro refrains from averting his gaze, knowing that wasn’t entirely the case. “This will be a week of us getting into a bed together, knowingly sleeping together.”

They both seem to simultaneously react to that wording, Keith turning away to clear his throat, crossing his arms.

“You know what I mean…” He murmurs.

“I do. But, is that really a bad thing?” Shiro asks, and Keith looks up at him, expression guarded. “We’ve been friends most of our lives, Keith. We’ve shared beds before, it’s no big deal.”

Keith seems to ponder that for a bit, before relenting, posture relaxing and arms falling limp by his sides, looking at the bed.

“Okay…you’re right.” Keith eventually says, shoving his bag further into the room with his foot.

They spend the next half hour or so unpacking, spending a few minutes bickering over who will use the drawers in the dresser before splitting them, Keith shoving his clothes in the drawers while Shiro takes the time to fold and place his things neatly.

Afterwards, they sit on the bed and chat for a bit, having time to kill before dinner, Keith fidgeting every now and then, a sign of nerves that Shiro keeps trying to distract him from.

“What if she…thinks I haven’t accomplished enough.” Keith asks during a lull in conversation, wringing his hands in a way that looks near painful, Shiro reaching down to stop him from continuing, making Keith look up at him with widened eyes.

"You're less than a year away from graduating from Garrison, Keith. You’re a record breaking pilot, a straight A student.” Shiro shakes his head, lacing their fingers together, squeezing Keith’s hand. “You’ve accomplished so much, and you’re barely twenty."

Keith looks down, visibly swallowing.

“I’m nervous…” Keith whispers, closing his eyes.

“I know,” Shiro says, voice just as low, and Keith turns his head away. “But I’m right here with you. I always am, Keith, I always will be.”

That seems to calm him down a bit, enough for them to leave the lake house and make their way up to the main house, where Shiro can smell meat cooking, watching Kosmo run around, fetching a ball and bringing it back to a woman who’s standing by the patio.

She notices Shiro and Keith as they approach the back gate, and she turns to Krolia standing at the barbecue, saying something Shiro can’t hear, but it has Krolia looking toward them, waving with a small smile.

“Glad you two could make it.” She says, loud enough for them to hear as they enter the back yard. “Dinner’s just about ready.” She continues, just as Kosmo runs over to them, the ball in his mouth dropped at Keith’s feet, and he’s given an expectant look.

Keith says nothing, just bends down to pick up the ball and throw it, Kosmo running off after it just as the woman from before comes up to them.

“You must be Keith and Shiro, I’m Acxa, Krolia’s sister.” She says in lieu of greeting, holding out a hand, and Keith takes it to shake.

“So, you’re my aunty?” He asks, as Shiro shakes Acxa’s hand, next, and she nods.

“It would seem so. How was your trip up here?” She then asks, looking down at the slobbery mess that once was a tennis ball Kosmo drops at their feet.

“It was nice. Tiring.” Shiro answers, and Acxa nods, humming.

“Hope you guys are hungry,” Krolia says from the grill, holding up a tray piled high with cooked meats, patties, sausages and chops alike. “Dinner’s ready.”

When they're not busy eating the feast that is the barbecued meal Krolia made for them, it seems like Shiro and Acxa are the only one’s talking, Keith and Krolia giving each other short answers for equally short questions.

“Krolia and I actually lived in the lake house for a couple years, while the main house was being redone.” Acxa explains when Shiro asks about the place. “We inherited this property, but the house is about a hundred years old, the lake house being a more…recent, addition.” She leans back and crosses her arms, seemingly thinking for a moment. “By recent, I mean in the last fifty or so years.”

“It’s a really nice place.” Shiro says, for what feels like the thousandth time tonight. “Thank you again for inviting me to stay.”

“Of course.” Krolia answers, giving Shiro a small smile. “Anyone Keith cares about is welcome to the family.”

“Mum…” Keith murmurs, drawn out, and he averts his gaze, but Shiro smiles at him softly.

“It’s getting late.” Keith points out after a while, when conversations dulls to nil, and even Kosmo has conked out in the corner. “I think Shiro and I are gonna head back to the lake house, now.”

After bidding their goodbyes for the evening, and Shiro thanking Krolia and Acxa once again for their hospitality, Keith and Shiro make their way back to the lake house.

Once the door is closed and locked behind them, Keith seems to visibly relax, rubbing a hand over his face.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Shiro asks, and Keith shakes his head, lowering his hand.

“No…but it was tiring.”

“One day down, six to go.” Shiro says, and Keith huffs a sound akin to a laugh, rolling his eyes.

“Delightful.” He murmurs, glancing toward the staircase. “I’m gonna get ready for bed. What’re your plans?”

“Bed.” Shiro answers, barely missing a beat, and Keith nods, biting his lip a little.

They take turns using the bathroom to shower, then share the double basin to brush their teeth, standing almost awkwardly side by side as they do so.

Shiro walks back into the bedroom after taking his medication, greeted by Keith sitting on the edge of the bed, looking up at him.

“I wasn’t sure what side you wanted.” Keith admits, and Shiro chuckles, flicking off the bathroom light and pulling the door mostly closed, buying himself a minute to bask in the domesticity of the scene before him.

“I usually sleep on the left.” Shiro belatedly answers, watching Keith relax.

“Okay, cool. I usually sleep on the right.” Keith says, moving to get under the covers, and Shiro walks around to the other side of the bed, sitting down.

“Do you mind if I set an alarm?” Shiro asks, and Keith grumbles slightly.

“It’s bad enough hearing your alarm from down the hall before the sun’s even up, let alone right next to me.” Keith answers, and Shiro puts his phone aside.

“I need to jog in the morning.” He says in lieu of reply, a little defensive.

“I know, I’m sorry.” Keith sighs, rolling over to look at Shiro. “Just…turn it down a notch or seven?” He says, and Shiro smiles.

“I can do that…”

Shiro turns the volume of his phone alarm down and shuts it off, settling down and turning off the bedside lamp, everything around them going pitch black and still.

“Thanks for coming along with me, Shiro.” Keith murmurs after a short while, and Shiro almost startles.

“Of course.” Shiro answers, feeling the bed shift as Keith rolls over. “Goodnight, Keith.”

“Night, Shiro.”

The next morning, Shiro wakes up to Keith curled against him, and it’s a struggle to extract himself from the bed, wanting nothing more than to stay by Keith’s side, hold him until they both wake up later, but Shiro has a routine to keep, and a vacation is unfortunately no excuse to change it, now.

With no gym close by, Shiro decides to jog up and down the dirt trails, the wind cold and harsh on his face, but refreshing as the rest of him begins to heat up.

He’s outside running laps for a good fifteen minutes when he hears jogging footsteps behind him.

Shiro turns his head, careful not to trip up, to see who’s with him, noticing Krolia smirking slightly.

“Good morning, Shiro.” She says, running a couple steps to fall in pace with him. “Did you have a good night?”

“Uh, y-yeah, I did.” Shiro manages, panting slightly. “And yourself?”

“I had a good night, yes. Now, I hate to be blunt,” Krolia starts, in a way that suggests she doesn’t hate being blunt in the slightest, “but I need to ask. Do you love my son?”

Shiro trips on an upended root sticking out of the dirt, tumbling sideways into a shrub that’s not as soft as it looks, staring up at Krolia with wide eyes after a second of shock as she slows down beside him, making no move to help him up.

“Do I-“

“Do you love Keith?” She asks again, now looking down at Shiro, and he tries to swallow, but his mouth is dry.

“I mean- we haven’t been dating that long-“ He tries, but Krolia’s shaking her head.

“I see the way you look at him, and the way he looks at you. He cares about you, Shiro. I may not have seen Keith since he was young, but I’d like to think I know what my son being in love looks like. All he’d talk about during our phone calls was you, even before he told me he was seeing someone.” Krolia tells him, and Shiro forgets how to breathe. “So I’m going to ask you again.” Krolia holds out a hand to help Shiro up, which he takes after a moment of hesitation, almost yelping as she tugs him up without a single struggle. “Do you love Keith?”

“More than anything.” Shiro replies, honest, and Krolia smiles.

“Thank you, for being there for him.” She says, voice low, before inclining her head. “What do you say we finish up out here, then you can let Keith know I’ll have brunch made by eleven?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Shiro says, him and Krolia beginning to jog up the path once more.

The rest of the week seems to go by fairly quickly, with Shiro and Krolia jogging together in the mornings, with Keith and Shiro going to the main house for majority of their meals, spending time with Krolia and Acxa.

Keith practically falls in love with Kosmo, giving Shiro what can only be described as puppy dog eyes as he says “Can we have one?”

Shiro always has to remind himself that Keith is joking when he asks Shiro, because Keith can get a dog if he so wanted, and Shiro couldn’t do much about it, he’s only asking like that for the theatrics of it, that’s all.

But Shiro can’t help but think it’s adorable that Keith does ask him for a puppy, as if they’re an actual couple making rash decisions together.

It’s on the last night Shiro and Keith have staying there that things change drastically.

They’d gone to the main house for dinner, as per usual, except afterwards, Krolia had pulled Keith aside, asked to talk to him privately, leaving Shiro and Acxa to sit in the living room and chat.

Keith and Krolia are gone for a while, before there’s muffled yelling from the other room, both Acxa and Shiro pausing, glancing toward the door they’re behind concernedly.

After a while the door is thrown open, and Keith’s eyes are wet when he comes out of the study, arm lifting to wipe at them none too gently, and Shiro frowns, standing up and holding out a hand.

“Keith, hey, what’s-“

“Let’s go.” Keith interrupts, grabbing Shiro’s outstretched hand and tugging him along, Shiro turns his head, mouth parting, but nothing comes out. He sees Krolia coming out of the room, arms folded and lip between her teeth, eyes downcast before Keith’s leading them out of the house, down the now familiar path to the lake house without a word.

“Keith, what happened?” Shiro tries, once they’re inside and Keith’s let go of him, pacing to and fro with gritted teeth and hands in his hair. “Keith-“

“She brought up dad-” Keith says through a ragged gasp, pausing mid-pace and tilting his head back, hands covering his face. He’s panting, shoulders shaking and stance tense, holding back sobs. “I knew- I _knew_ it was going to happen but I-“ He drops into a crouch, and Shiro moves to kneel next to him, placing a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “I wasn’t _ready-_ “

“Keith…” Shiro gently tugs, and Keith crumples, twisting and dropping to his knees, curling up against Shiro with a sob, and Shiro pulls him into a tight embrace, closing his eyes and letting Keith cry.

They stay like that until Keith manages to calm down, Shiro’s hand rubbing up and down his back, Keith’s clenched fists slowly loosening their grip on Shiro’s shirt, his breathing gradually evening out.

“I’m sorry…” Keith whispers, hoarse, sniffing and making a disgusted noise. “Why do you put up with me?”

 _Because I love you,_ Shiro thinks.

“Because you’re my best friend.” Shiro says, pulling back enough to look down at Keith, who turns his head away with a grimace, but Shiro touches his cheek, the gesture entirely too intimate, but it gets Keith to look up at him, face splotchy and nose red, tear tracks highlighting his cheeks. “And I’ll never give up on you. I’m here for you.”

Keith’s lip quivers, and Shiro pretends he doesn’t notice it, pulling Keith into another hug.

“I wanna do something…” Keith mumbles, pulling back far too soon for Shiro’s liking, looking up at him. “I want to make this night better.”

Shiro ignores whatever thoughts come to mind upon Keith saying that, still knelt on the ground with his legs spread and Keith kneeling between them.

“Like what?” He asks, and Keith looks away with a small hum, biting his lip in thought, eyes brightening when he looks back up at Shiro.

“It’s stupid…” He starts, and Shiro’s already hooked.

“Go on.” He says, and Keith leans back and stands, pulling Shiro up with him.

“The fire’s lit, right?” He asks, and Shiro nods. “Good, we need to put blankets by the fireplace to get warm.”

“Why?” Shiro asks, tentative, and Keith grins up at him.

“We’re going swimming.”

With his piece said, Keith takes off his jacket, leaving Shiro to stand and sputter as he watches his friend strip.

“Wait, hold on-“

“No.” Keith’s standing in his boxers, now, kicking his pants aside and staring at Shiro expectantly. “Either wait here and get me blankets or come with me. It’ll be in and out, and back inside. Come on, Shiro, please…let me do this.”

Shiro sighs, hands shifting to the hem of his sweater, puling it up and over his head, chucking it in the general direction of the pile of Keith’s clothes on the floor.

“I’m not letting you be an idiot on your own.” Shiro decides, kicking off his shoes and socks, followed closely by his pants, and when he spares a glance upward in Keith’s direction, he has a small smile on his face.

Shiro wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t love Keith, almost immediately wishing Keith would change his mind as soon as the door opens, both men standing there in their underwear with nothing else but a towel each.

It’s freezing out, and Shiro is immediately shivering, but Keith lets out a laugh, grabbing Shiro’s hand and running toward the shore, leaving Shiro with no choice but to follow.

Keith doesn’t stop running, the still, cold waters of the lake looming closer and closer and Shiro barely has a second to brace himself before his feet and legs are being submerged in ice.

He gasps sharply, eyes widening as Keith suddenly pulls him close, but Shiro looses his footing on the lakes floor, and he stumbles, foot slipping behind Keith’s and tripping him up, in turn.

What happens in the expanse of point three seconds feels like five minutes as they fall into the waist deep water, Shiro managing to twist them so he goes down first, inhaling at the very last second before his head is underwater.

Everything’s numb when Keith pulls them both back up, and they’re panting, and Shiro doesn’t remember when they left the water, but suddenly they’re both running back up to the house, towels clutched in shaky hands and every joint and muscle in their bodies screaming for warmth.

Shiro manages to throw the door open, and it’s like experiencing whiplash, coming in from the freezing cold to a warm house, him and Keith barely stopping to make sure the door is properly locked before they’re making their way to the living room, where they’d previously set a pile of blankets and warm clothes.

Shiro doesn’t even care that Keith is tugging off his soaked boxers pretty much right in front of him, as he’s doing the same, tugging on sweatpants and wrapping a thick blanket around his shoulders, dropping to the floor in a shivering heap, Keith joining him mere seconds later, curling up against Shiro’s side.

“Th-that was the stu-stupidest thing you’ve e-ever thought of.” Shiro manages through chattering teeth, turning his head toward Keith, who’s already looking up at him, giving him a shivering laugh.

“You didn’t ha-have to join m-me.” He replies, equally as stuttered, shifting and pressing flush against Shiro’s side, and Shiro lifts his blanket enough for Keith’s stomach to press along his side, skin to skin a shockingly cold sensation at first, but quickly warming up.

They don’t say anything else for a long while, their shivers gradually subsiding as they begin to warm up, Shiro’s eyes opening from where they had slid shut, basking in the warmth, when he feels Keith move against him.

“I know something that can warm us up…” Keith leans impossibly closer to Shiro, voice low and lips still quivering, though only slightly, as they pull upwards into a smile that has Shiro’s throat going dry, and he swallows to accomodate the feeling, staring at the blue tint on Keith’s lip.

“What’s that…?” He asks, voice just as low, just as shaky, feeling himself inch closer still toward Keith, lips parted mere centimetres from Keith’s own.

 _This is it,_ he thinks, eyelids growing heavy, threatening to close again. _This is what you’ve been waiting for-_

All too abruptly, Keith stands up, dropping his blanket on Shiro’s head with a laugh, and when Shiro recovers from his second of shock, pulling the blanket from over his face, he sees Keith holding an old key, inclining his head toward the liquor cabinet.

“Let’s get drunk.” He says, and Shiro has to will his erratically beating heart to calm the fuck down, nodding with a jerky motion, forcing a smile on his face.

“Yeah,” His voice comes out croaky, and he coughs, nodding again. “Yeah, okay.” He says, clearer, and is almost blinded by Keith’s smile before he turns and presses the century old key into its century old lock.

“Is this a bad idea?” Keith asks, unlocking and opening the cabinet filled with an assortment of bottles and glasses with an unmistakable creak of its door, turning his head to glance at Shiro over his shoulder, his hair still wet enough to drip down the expanse of his naked back.

“It’s the worst idea.” Shiro belatedly replies, shivers still making his body jolt every few seconds, propped up against the front of the couch, huffing a shaking laugh. “Let’s do it.” He continues, and Keith grins, turning back to the cabinet and crouching low to examine the bottles on the lower shelf, and Shiro bites his lip, staring unabashed at the thinning material of the sweatpants Keith wore stretching thinner still over the curve of his ass, leaving very little to the imagination.

“What the fuck is Nunvil?” Keith pulls back from the cabinet to ask with a dusty white bottle in his hand, holding it up for Shiro to see, forcing the man’s gaze up to a more appropriate height. “It literally just says Nunvil on the lid, nothing else…” Keith turns the bottle this way and that, examining it with a slight frown, fingerprints smearing over the opaque glass.

“It can’t be anything too sinister if it’s with the alcohol.” Shiro says, noting the twitch of Keith’s lip, almost sly as he glances toward Shiro, cracking the cap open, and Shiro smirks.

“That’s potent, holy shit.” Keith almost immediately says, before the bottles’ cap is even all the way off, turning his nose up with a short laugh that Shiro can’t help but replicate as Keith sits back down on the floor in front of him, sniffing again with a grimace and handing the bottle to Shiro. “You sip first.” He says, and Shiro scoffs, rolling his eyes.

“Gee, thanks, I get to see if it’s poisonous, then, huh?” He glances into the bottle, brow furrowing. “Should we get glasses?”

“I say we swig it.” Keith declares, grabbing the blanket he’d discarded earlier and wrapping it around himself. “What’s the worse that could happen?”

“Uh…” Shiro huffs a short, incredulous laugh, raising an eyebrow. “We could die?”

“But wouldn’t it be an interesting death?” Keith asks, and in that moment, seemingly already halfway to tipsy on this drinks’ fumes alone, Shiro can’t disagree with that logic.

Not that he could ever disagree with Keith, not really.

Rolling with their choice to be stupid tonight, Shiro decides _fuck it,_ holding up the bottle in a cheers gesture, hesitating only a moment before taking a sip.

He pauses, and Keith stares at him expectantly, silent for several long moments.

“Well…?” He asks, and Shiro swallows, lips parting.

“It…tastes like strawberry candy.” He says, holding up the bottle to inspect, as if its opaque, dust covered white surface might have suddenly manifested a label other than the non descriptive _Nunvil_ on its cap.

“It sure as hell didn’t smell like strawberry candy.” Keith says, grabbing the bottle off of Shiro and taking a sip, eyes locked on his all the while. “What the fuck,” He pulls back from the cap with a pop that Shiro doesn’t think too much about, staring at the bottle not unlike Shiro did, before looking back at him, shaking the bottle in a way that has its contents sloshing, a drop of what appears to be clear liquid escaping the top. “It tastes like blue raspberry you liar.”

“No, I swear,” Shiro has to bite back a laugh at the affronted stare Keith gives him, so the two pass the bottle back and forth after each swig, telling the other what they taste each time.

“Green gummy bears.”

“No, that time tasted like marshmallows.”

“That was clearly sherbet.”

The flavours get more ridiculous the more they drink, and the drunker they get, falling in toward one another laughing, Shiro flopping onto his back and Keith sitting up next to him, staring down at him with a small, amused smile.

They’ve most definitely warmed up, now, the liquor a comfortable heat in his stomach, and Shiro smacks his lips slightly, tasting nothing now but _warmth_ , and he vaguely recognises a different kind of heat, a gradual stirring beneath his navel, and it makes Shiro laugh slowly.

“I kinda wanna jerk off right now, but I can’t be fucked moving.”

Keith laughs beside him, a drawn out, lazy sounding thing that has Shiro smiling dopily up at the ceiling.

“Go for it. It’s no big deal, after all, we’re _boyfriends,_ so we should be fucking or whatever.”

Shiro huffs a laugh at that, unconsciously reaching down to palm at himself over his sweatpants, humming softly.

“Wouldn’t that be something…” He murmurs.

“What?” Keith asks, taking another sip from the bottle he’s still holding.

“Us fucking. Can you picture it?”

Keith smirks around the tip of the bottle, nodding slowly, almost sluggish. “Yeah…I can picture it.”

“Have you thought about it, before?” Shiro then asks, feeling himself start to react to his hands’ languorous movements.

“Yeah, sometimes I’ll be jerking off and you’ll come to mind, and I’ll just roll with it.” Keith admits, gaze dropping somewhat, lip caught between his teeth, seemingly in thought. “Imagination you is good at riding cock.” Keith continues after a moment, and Shiro hums.

“Real me is good at riding cock.” He says, matter of fact, and Keith tilts his head.

“Have you been told?” He asks, and Shiro scoffs.

“I think the amount of premature orgasms I rip out of guys is enough proof that I’m great at it.” Shiro’s hard, now, teasing at where he can feel the head of his dick through his pants. “Why? Want me to prove it?” He then says, only partially joking.

“If you want to, I wouldn’t say no.” Keith answers, and Shiro can see him shift in his peripheral, can see Keith closing the few feet of distance between them as he crawls closer, looming over Shiro.

“Really…?” Shiro’s voice goes low, almost meek, cracking on the last syllable when Keith’s fingers trace gently down Shiro’s cheek, his eyes tracking the movement before meeting Shiro’s. His pupils are dilated, and his still partially damp hair falls like a curtain around his face, the glow of the fires’ dwindling flames highlighting the dark tresses.

“Tonight was shit, but…being with you is making it better, Shiro.” Keith smiles softly, turning his head and putting the bottle aside. “We could just…I don’t know…”

Shiro swallows thickly, shifting to sit up, and Keith looks up at him, lips parted.

 _This is your chance,_ a voice says in the back of his mind, a voice that sounds a lot like Keith’s. It always sounds like Keith’s. _Kiss him._

_Kiss me._

So he does.

It’s soft, at first, a tentative brush of lips, their eyes partially open, before Keith’s are slipping closed, and he pushes forward, tilting his head and deepening the gesture, and Shiro follows suit.

Their lips lock and part gently, and Shiro hesitates only a moment before licking at Keith’s lip, feeling them part further to let him in, and then Keith’s hands are on Shiro’s shoulders, pulling him closer until Shiro has no choice but to shift until he’s straddling Keith’s lap, hunched over slightly to be able to keep his mouth on Keith’s, feeling the other pull back to kiss down his neck, hands stroking down his sides.

Shiro tips his head back with a sharp gasp, staring up at the blank expanse of the ceiling, basking in the sensation of Keith’s lips and tongue against the sensitive skin of his throat, the hint of teeth making Shiro twitch and moan.

“Can I leave a mark?” Keith asks, seemingly as out of breath as Shiro feels, and Shiro nods, fingers flexing on Keith’s shoulders, tightening when Keith’s mouth latches onto the crook of his neck and shoulder, sucking a bruising kiss that Shiro knows will turn into a vibrant brand.

The thought of Keith leaving evidence of this night on his skin has Shiro biting his lip to suppress a pleasured sound, slipping up when Keith nips at his neck, resulting in Shiro bucking his hips.

“You like that?” Keith asks, voice low, and he bites again, earning a whimper. “Come on, baby, let me hear you.”

There’s no hope of Shiro being able to contain the sounds he makes after that, panting and rocking on Keith’s lap, letting him mark him up, proof he’s _Keith’s_.

Shiro can’t quite place how, but suddenly they’re upstairs on a bed, the bed they’ve been sharing all week, and now they’re making out on top of it, Shiro on his back with Keith above him, holding his hands above his head and rocking his hips down atop Shiro’s, whose legs tighten around those said hips, grinding upwards as best he can.

“Wanna prove to me how good you are?” Keith asks, and Shiro nods, chasing Keith’s lips, but the man pulls back, and Shiro props himself up on weak elbows, watching as Keith sifts through the contents of his bag, pulling out a small bottle of lube and a condom.

Shiro’s not in the right mindset to wonder why Keith brought those along, just tugs him back into a messy kiss when he’s close enough to do so, flipping their positions and straddling Keith once more.

There are hands seemingly everywhere, both men working to tug down the sweatpants they wore, pushing them down enough to release their erections and take them in hand, their fingers catching against each other as they figure out who’s holding who, eventually settling on Shiro stroking Keith while Keith grips Shiro by the base, teasing the vein along his underside with a thumb.

Upon Shiro throwing his head back with an unabashed moan, he sees the bottle from earlier sitting on the table beside the bed, and he smiles, biting his lip with a pleased hum when Keith rubs at the head of his cock, smearing the precum gathering there.

“Fuck, Keith…” Shiro pants, rocking into Keith’s hand, letting go of Keith’s erection in order to thrust against him for a few moments, staring down at him.

“Shiro…” Keith says, voice low, his free hand smoothing its way up Shiro’s stomach, cupping one side of his chest, squeezing, and Shiro glances down, managing a huff of a laugh.

Shiro’s world turns sideways as Keith flips them over, helping Shiro finish stripping then settling between his legs for what feels like the umpteenth time that evening, stooping low to kiss him, both hands coming up to play with Shiro’s chest, fingers brushing over his nipples, making Shiro shiver, before they’re catching on and pinching gently, rubbing them into stiff peaks that have Shiro gasping into Keith’s mouth.

“You like having your chest played with?” Keith asks, and Shiro nods, sucking at Keith’s lip, making him groan. “You’re gorgeous, Shiro…fuck,” Keith runs his hands down Shiro’s sides, taking ahold of his hips and squeezing, tugging them up until Shiro’s ass is in Keith’s lap, and Shiro feels Keith’s cock sliding against him, a taste of what’s to come if he so wishes for it.

And boy, does he wish for it.

“Keith- Keith, _please—_ “ Shiro chokes on a moan when Keith hunches over enough to lick over one of Shiro’s nipples, sucking on it with a lewd sound that has Shiro’s ears burning, pulling back with a smug smile, and Shiro’s legs fall wider open seemingly of their own accord, staring into Keith’s eyes, swallowing thickly under the heat of his gaze. “Fuck me.” He whispers, just to feel how Keith’s fingers flex on his hips, and Shiro reaches blindly, fumbling for the bottle sitting, tangled within the sheets, managing to grasp it and lift it up for Keith.

“You’re not gonna give me a show?” Keith asks, but Shiro notices the waver in his voice, his confident persona slipping just a touch. “Thought you’d finger yourself open for my cock…” Keith whispers, and Shiro feels like he can’t breathe under that smouldering stare, the air caught in his throat. “Let me see how you like it, how you get yourself ready to be _filled_.” He punctuates the end of that sentence with a pointed roll of his hips against Shiro’s ass, and it has Shiro whimpering, squeezing the bottle in his hand.

He pulls back from Keith, not missing the hint of confusion in his friend’s face as he gently pushes at his chest, urging him backward, before Shiro’s turning, glancing over his shoulder as he drops onto his stomach, legs spread and knees slipping slightly on the sheets, swallowing thickly through his panted breaths, almost nervous.

He hears Keith swear behind him, and Shiro uncaps the lube, pouring a generous amount on his fingers, until they’re practically dripping, rubbing them together and reaching beneath himself and back, smearing slick over his perineum then his hole, twitching at the coldness of it, slowly rubbing and letting it warm up, before pressing a finger into himself, gasping.

It’s been a while since Shiro’s last done this, so he takes as much time as he’s willing to to prepare himself, writhing against the sheets and biting into the pillow, three fingers deep and teasing with a fourth, before Keith’s leaning over him, kissing along his shoulder in wet, panting brushes of his lips, gently urging Shiro to turn his head and kiss him proper.

Shiro feels Keith’s erection against where his hand is still knuckle-deep in his ass, and he pushes back with a moan, fingers slowly slipping free for Keith to take over in their place.

Keith touches him, hands seemingly everywhere all at once, gentle and firm and loving and Shiro’s both in heaven and being tortured, gasping and bucking, Keith holding him in place, all the while. Shiro’s being shushed, vaguely recognises the universal sound for _be quiet_ , those sinful yet heavenly hands tugging him this way and that, and Shiro willingly follows where they take him, until he’s sitting up on Keith’s lap, arms wrapped loosely around his neck, lips barely an inch apart.

“You sure you want to do this…?” Shiro hears Keith ask, and he comes back to himself, to this moment, enough to nod, to take ahold of either side of Keith’s face and kiss him softly.

“I really want this.” Shiro admits, and he probably shouldn’t have, not like this, not in such an intimate setting, but Keith closes the gap between them and kisses Shiro in reply.

“Just making sure.” Keith murmurs, lifting Shiro enough for him to feel Keith lining up beneath him, the head of his cock slick where it rests, and Shiro swallows thickly, nodding once more when Keith pauses.

The slide in is slow and careful, both men making pleasured sounds in tandem as Shiro seats himself further on Keith’s lap, until they’re flush together, hips and thighs to ass, and Shiro shakes where he sits, pressing his forehead to Keith’s with a shuddering moan.

“Fuck, baby…” Keith whispers, and Shiro can only whimper in response, squeezing his eyes shut, feeling Keith’s lips brush against his own, coaxing them to part so they can kiss some more.

Shiro’s never going to tire of kissing Keith, he’s decided. He’s never felt so _right_ kissing someone before. It’s everything he’s ever imagined and then some, and they’ve barely even started to move, yet.

Those hands are back on Shiro’s hips, a grounding weight that has Shiro coming back to the present, sobering up enough to realise that this is happening; he’s currently got the man he’s in love with’s dick inside him, and they’re kissing, he’s _kissing_ his best friend.

Shiro can’t even fathom how long he’s been fantasising about this moment.

He wishes he were entirely sober for it.

But he’ll take what he can get.

Keith’s kissing down Shiro’s neck, now, fingers flexing with their grip on Shiro’s hips, slipping down to cup his ass, and Shiro lifts up enough for Keith to feel himself slide out partway, the tips of a couple fingers touching gently at Shiro’s rim, and Shiro lowers again, one smooth, slow stroke that has the both of them moaning in tandem.

They start to build a steady pace, Shiro spreading the stance of his knees to gain leverage, and soon enough he’s bouncing in Keith’s lap, the clap of skin on skin echoing slickly in the space around them, mixed with that of Shiro’s pleasured sounds, Keith’s more quiet groans of approval.

“Fuck- ah, Shiro…” Keith tilts his head back, and Shiro just wants to bend down and lick along the long column of his throat, suck bruises into the skin until there’s proof of tonight all over Keith’s skin, but he resists, keeping his pace. “You really a-are good at this-“ Keith manages, hands helping guide Shiro, not that he needs much guiding, if any, but then Keith’s pulling him into a kiss that consists of not much more than tongue, sitting forward enough to knock Shiro’s balance, and they topple backward.

Shiro can’t decipher how they managed to switch positions, yet again, but this time without Keith pulling back, staying inside him the entire time, holding Shiro’s hands high above his head, pinned to the mattress.

“But now, I wanna show you how good _I_ can be.”

It’s the only warning Shiro gets before Keith’s fucking him, and Shiro almost cums on the spot, mouth falling agape and hands almost tearing at the sheets.

Keith smirks down at him, the bastard, hitching his hips faster and harder, fucking Shiro in a way that has the bed frame creaking with it.

“Gonna cum for me, baby?” Keith asks, and Shiro finds it funny how a few moments ago, Keith was relatively quiet. He manages a nod, unsure if Keith could even tell with the way they’re shifting together, but Keith seems to notice, panting above Shiro, a hand lowering to lift Shiro’s leg upward, angle him in a way that allows him to fuck even _deeper_ , and Shiro can’t comprehend how that’s even possible.

It's hard to hold on much longer from that moment, squeezing Keith’s hand in his, around his cock, as he cums between them untouched, Keith following suit not long after, stuttering and stilling with a groan.

Shiro lies there, staring at the ceiling for several long moments as he comes down, noting that he’s sobered up considerably, and it dawns on him what had just transpired.

Keith kisses the side of his neck, smiling against his skin.

“Fuck, that was something…” He murmurs, sitting up and looking down at Shiro, his smile dropping slightly. “You okay?”

Shiro doesn’t know how to feel.

He just had sex with his best friend, the guy he’s been in love with for almost as long as they’ve known each other.

And it was the best sex of his entire god damned life.

“Are you drunk?” Shiro asks, and Keith pauses, as if to consider.

“I…I _was_ , but I don’t think I am, anymore.” Keith admits, fingers coming up to touch Shiro’s face, and he flinches by accident, giving Keith pause. “Shiro…?”

“This wasn’t meant to happen.” Shiro says, and Keith pulls back, the two separating, Shiro wincing as Keith pulls out, feeling Keith’s cum as it drips from him, the two having foregone the condom, discarded somewhere within the crumpled sheets.

Shiro can feel Keith’s stare on him, but he stares at the duvet, knees bent and pulled toward his chest.

“What…do you mean?” Keith asks, and Shiro hates how pained it sounds.

“We weren’t meant to have sex, Keith.” Shiro says, closing his eyes. “Not like this…”

“Like what?” Keith’s voice is low, and Shiro almost struggles to hear him.

“Drunk. Sad.” He murmurs, the sweat on his skin beginning to cool, making him shiver. “A stupid idea.”

“Stupid…” Keith whispers, and Shiro opens his eyes, notices Keith shaking his head, slowly. “Was that what this was for you? Stupid?”

“No, Keith-“

“Because you didn’t have to come along with me, you know.” Keith interrupts, turning away. “I wanted you to, but you still could have said no.”

“That’s not what the issue is, here.” Shiro tries, but Keith scoffs.

“Then what’s the issue, Shiro? I know you’re upset about being with me for the week, pretending to date me, but I thought we were close enough that it wouldn’t matter-“

“It matters.”

“Why? Why does it matter so-“

“Because I’m in love with you, damn it!” Shiro practically shouts, and Keith stares, Shiro closing his eyes. “I‘m so in love with you, Keith. Have been for years. And you asked _me_ of all people to be your fake boyfriend. You just had sex with _me._ ” Shiro bites his lip, shaking his head, refusing to open his eyes, scared of what he’ll see. “You have no idea how many times I’ve imagined how having sex with you would be, I…didn’t mean for it to be like this, masked as a casual endeavour, I wanted…”

There’s a hand on Shiro’s shoulder, and he blinks his eyes open, Keith sat beside him, looking at him with an unreadable expression.

“You didn’t want it to be like this…” Keith whispers, understanding now. “You wanted sober and meaningful.”

“Exactly.” Shiro murmurs, feeling Keith’s hand smooth down Shiro’s back.

“I get it, I do.” Keith replies, leaning more into Shiro’s space, and Shiro shifts, lowering his legs and tilting toward Keith. “I feel the same, trust me.” He continues, leaning closer still, and Shiro’s breath hitches, feeling Keith exhale against his lips. “I’ve wanted this for so long, Shiro. That’s why I asked you, and no one else. I didn’t want to pretend with anyone else, because with you, it’d be real, no matter how you felt. It was always real for me.”

Shiro kisses him, can’t resist the urge to after Keith says that, and Keith kisses back in kind, hands lifting to hold either side of Shiro’s face, tilting his head to deepen the gesture, and Shiro melts against him.

“I love you, Shiro.” Keith whispers between kisses, and Shiro almost sobs, smiling shakily against Keith’s lips, nodding.

“I love you, too, Keith.”

It wasn't the confession Shiro had always hoped for, but it wasn’t any less perfect, sitting on the bed, kissing Keith, definitely sobered up and realising how cold it actually is.

They pull back from one another seemingly at the same time, smiling softly. “We should clean up,” Keith suggests, “talk more about this when we’re dressed and not…” He gestures vaguely between them. “Covered in cum.”

Shiro manages to huff a small laugh, biting his lip with a nod. “Shower…?” He asks, voice low, and Keith takes his hand.

“Shower.” He agrees, standing with Shiro in tow, lacing their fingers and leading the way to the bathroom, Shiro standing back enough to admire the view as they go.

Fingers thread through wet hair, pushing it back from foreheads as they tilt to meet one another under the hot spray of the shower, kissing languid and sweet, pressed together.

Shiro steps forward until Keith’s back hits cold tile, smiling at him before sinking to his knees, and Keith’s head tilts back with a short gasp, lost within the sounds of water hitting the floor and walls surrounding them as Shiro’s fingers grip at Keith’s thighs, lips and tongue slipping over engorged, heady flesh.

They stay in the shower until the water begins to run cold, unable to keep their hands off one another, insisting on assisting with the process of drying off, another excuse to touch, cloth brushing over skin, fingertips sure to follow.

 _Pinch me,_ Shiro thinks, in awe, disbelieving that this could be real as they get into bed, clad in nothing but their boxers, curled up together beneath the sheets, holding hands and kissing lazily.

“Pinch me,” Shiro says, whispers it into the sparse space between their lips, feels Keith smile against him.

“What about this?” Keith starts, and Shiro goes to ask what when he feels Keith gently biting at his lower lip, tugging it and holding for a moment, letting go with a barely there sound, and Shiro exhales shakily. “Does that prove you’re not dreaming?” Keith asks, after a moment of silence, and Shiro shakes his head.

“I don’t think it did, you have to do it again.” Shiro whispers, pulling Keith back in, kissing him even as he laughs softly, the sound muffled, reduced to shaking shoulders when he kisses back, lips locking and parting with ever present smiles.

It’s moments like this that Shiro’s always dreamed of, tilting them until he’s hovering over Keith, their legs tangled beneath the covers, fronts pressed flush together, feeling Keith’s heartbeat, the way he breathes, the way he laughs, and it’s all Shiro’s ever wanted.

“I love you.” Shiro whispers, when Keith shifts enough to kiss the underside of his jaw, eyes fluttering at the sensation. “So much…”

Keith pulls back, fingers on Shiro’s nape squeezing slightly, directing his head to kiss him proper some more.

“I love you, too.” Keith replies, eyes mostly closed. “You’re my everything…”

They fall asleep in each others arms, and wake up a tangle of limbs and sheets to the insistent chiming of Shiro’s alarm, Keith whacking him with a groan, practically pushing him out of the contorted mess of a nest they’d created during the night, and Shiro struggles to reach for the device, turning it off just before it falls off of the bedside table and into the abyss that is the cold, hardwood floor.

“Don’t leave…” Keith mumbles, changing his mind and tugging Shiro back toward him, wrapping around him not unlike an octopus, hands on his chest and stomach, and legs curling around his own. “Warm…”

“I gotta get up,” Shiro murmurs, lacing his fingers with Keith’s over his chest, squeezing gently. “Krolia will be waiting.”

Keith grumbles again, reluctantly letting him go, and Shiro smiles, turning to place a kiss on Keith’s forehead, something he can do without consequence, now, before getting up, quickly getting dressed and making his way downstairs, passing a mirror in the hall and pausing upon seeing the state of his lower neck, ringed with small bruises, one large hickey just above his collarbone.

“Shit,” Shiro whispers, touching the tender marks gently, looking toward the front door, wondering how he could cover the marks so that Krolia doesn’t see, opting to run back upstairs and grab a thin scarf, shaking his head at Keith who’s already fallen back asleep.

Upon meeting Krolia at their deemed starting point along the dirt trail, she immediately eyes the scarf with a raised eyebrow, folding her arms and cocking a hip.

“Have a nice night?” She asks, and Shiro tries to smile.

“Yes, I did. Thank you for asking.” He replies, and Krolia just shakes her head with a laugh.

Her and Keith talk again before they leave, sitting in a quiet corner of the yard, Shiro glancing over every now and then from where him and Acxa are sitting in the kitchen.

He smiles at the sight of them hugging, Krolia kissing Keith’s head, and Keith smiles softly before they stand, making their way back to the house.

“You guys are all packed and ready to go, yeah?” Acxa asks, sipping at her drink when Keith comes and sits next to Shiro.

“We’re packed. We cleaned up the house, washed the linens and towels.” Keith says, not noticing Krolia smirking over his shoulder, but Shiro does, narrowing his eyes slightly.

“It’s common curtesy.” He says, and Krolia raises her hands in mock surrender, smiling.

“I said nothing.” She defends, and Keith looks between her and Shiro quizzically, gears turning in his head, before his eyes widen slightly.

“That’s our cue to leave.”

After bidding their goodbyes, thanking everyone once again for their hospitality, and receiving an unexpected hug from Krolia, a murmured “Take care of my boy,” Keith and Shiro hit the road.

The radio crackles uselessly while they drive, comfortably silent, the two basking in the scenery around them for a long while, Shiro gathering up the courage to reach over and rest his hand on Keith’s lower thigh, making the man jump slightly.

They laugh softly, Shiro glancing from the road to Keith and back again, squeezing his leg gently.

“So…” Shiro starts, clearing his throat somewhat to buy himself a moment. “That was one hell of a week, huh?”

Keith huffs a small laugh, leaning back in his seat and looking over at Shiro, who itches to return the gaze, wishing he wasn’t driving.

“It really was…Kosmo was awesome.” 

Shiro laughs, biting his lip and shaking his head. “He was the best part of this trip for you, huh?”

“Oh, absolutely.” Keith replies, no hesitation whatsoever, and Shiro can sense Keith’s smirk. “Though, I must admit that meeting my mum for the first time in years was also pretty great.” Keith continues, voice softening, hand reaching down to touch Shiro’s on his leg, tracing idle patterns on his skin. “But my overall favourite thing about this week was being with you.”

“Sap…” Shiro murmurs, for lack of a better response, feeling Keith lift his hand and kiss his knuckles softly.

“Your sap.” Keith counters, lips against Shiro’s hand, and Shiro has to resist the urge to pull over and kiss Keith senseless, gently feeling for the side of Keith’s face, cupping his jaw and stroking his cheek with his thumb, feeling Keith smile.

“My boyfriend?” Shiro dares, eyes stuck on the quiet, winding road before them, feeling Keith’s smile widen, his face turning to kiss Shiro’s palm.

“Your boyfriend.” Keith murmurs, slightly muffled against the skin of Shiro’s palm. “If you’ll be mine.”

“I’ve always been yours, Keith.” Shiro answers, unable to wipe the broad smile off of his own face. “Now it's just official."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for sticking around to the end! I hope Juls likes this, and I hope whoever else reads this likes it, too.
> 
> Feel free to follow me on [Tumblr](http://shklancebeefsandwich.tumblr.com) (heed nsfw, Tumblr censored me)
> 
> Or, my now more active [Twitter](https://twitter.com/KirosKuro) (also nsfw)
> 
> ALSO! Go check out all the awesome gifts posted in this exchange thus far over on the Sheithlentines [Tumblr](http://sheithlentines.tumblr.com) and [Twitter,](http://twitter.com/Sheithlentines) there's some seriously amazing stuff


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